Lorne Eedy
Why R Lorne Eedy joined Rotary.
My family is a Rotary family.
Monday nights were KD nights at 252 Queen Street as Dad went to Rotary and the kids had Sunday leftovers with mac and cheese. My mother did not relate to it as Rotary night but more as a night off from meal preparation.
Our Rotary family started with Grandfather and Great Grandfather who were charter members of the Rotary Club of St. Marys.
As a teenager and later #3 son returning to run the family business Father never missed an opportunity to include me in a Rotary meal. Although Lion and Kinsmen interest appeared in form of different invitations to get involved in those service clubs, my father never ever asked me to join Rotary.
My family and more specifically my career took me to all corners of Canada. My privilege was to serve as the only two-time President of Ontario Community Newspapers, and later the only second generation President of the Canadian Community Newspaper Association plus as a board member for Ontario Press Council, and Chair of St. Marys Opera House Foundation, St. Marys Planning Board, Heritage St. Marys, Induction CBHFM plus I chaired the bid committee that successfully secured the Canadian Baseball Hall of Fame and Museum (CBHFM) location to our community. I have been honoured with two national volunteer awards.
Currently I proudly serve as the Chair of the ‘Leave a Legacy’ Fund.
In the business world I purchased my family business at 22 with 6 employees and grew the publication group to 12 newspapers and over 160 employees. Along with my uncle I served as the President of the largest film production company in Canada during the 80s. Further, I founded St. Marys Ford Lincoln in 1985 and for the record hired Joe Taylor as an employee and manager.
I love the concept of volunteer group activities, decisions and projects.
I am committed to the group moving forward together.
And why I joined Rotary?
As the Chair of the bid committee for the CBHFM our small group made a presentation to Rotary for the funding necessary to secure the Hall of Fame for our community.
Rotary without hesitation gave our committee $10,000.
Further Rotary told us to come back if we needed another $10.000.
Basking the magnificent light of the Rotary way of doing things I knew at that moment that I would honour my family and specifically my father my joining Rotary whether our bid for the CBHFM was successful or not.
St. Marys Rotary is my service family.
... And if I want to support my community what better method than as part of a ‘family’ group.